By Angela Christy M and Ruchika Khanna

March 12 (Reuters) - Cosmetics giant Estee Lauder

Companies ( EL ) on Thursday said it filed a lawsuit against

British entrepreneur Jo Malone, her fragrance brand "Jo Loves"

and Zara's UK business for the use of Malone's name on certain

productsas the U.S. firm owns the brand.

Estee Lauder Companies ( EL ) bought Malone's self-named perfume

brand - and the rights to use her name - in 1999. Malone left

the company in 2006 and launched a new fragrance label, "Jo

Loves", in 2011.

The company said the use of "Jo Malone" on the packaging of

"Jo Loves" fragrances sold by Zara formed the basis of the

lawsuit, which was filed in a British court on Wednesday.

Malone had agreed with the U.S. company to not use the "Jo

Malone" name in certain commercial contexts, including the

marketing of fragrances, a company spokesperson said in a

statement.

"Ms Malone's use of the name "Jo Malone" in connection with

recent commercial ventures goes beyond that legal agreement and

undermines Jo Malone London's unique brand equity," the

spokesperson added, referring to the company's agreement with

Malone.

Malone, along with the others, is being sued by Estee Lauder ( EL )

for breach of contract, trademark infringement and "passing off"

- a term referring to misleading consumers into thinking goods

or services are those of another company, according to the

spokesperson.

Zara UK's parent Inditex and Jo Loves did not

immediately respond to requests for comment. Malone could not be

immediately reached. The Financial Times first reported on the

lawsuit.

Reuters checks on Zara's UK website show that the "Jo Loves

Collab" fragrances contain the line, "Created by Jo Malone CBE,

founder of Jo Loves." It was not immediately clear whether this

also appears on the product packaging or when products bearing

Jo Malone's name were put up for sale by Zara.

The legal action comes at a time when Estee Lauder ( EL ) and other

cosmetics companies have been cashing in on an uptick in demand

for fragrances led by Gen Z consumers.

Last month, Estee Lauder ( EL ) sued Walmart ( WMT ) in the U.S.,

accusing the retail giant of selling knockoffs of Estee Lauder ( EL )

fragrance and skin care brands including Clinique, Tom Ford and

Le Labo.